


Tightrope

by dramaticinsanity



Series: Bright Eyes of the Solstice [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M, Oblivious Harry, harriscofest 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-23 01:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15594858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dramaticinsanity/pseuds/dramaticinsanity
Summary: A direct sequel to the last part of the series. Cisco takes the leap.





	Tightrope

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Delicious Proximity
> 
> Hmm, I'm not altogether happy with this, but it's not an uncommon feeling that I just have to push through. Hope some ppl will enjoy anyway <3

Barry doesn’t catch on to his turmoil. He blathers on. Cisco zones back in just as he says, “And I think we should work on your breaching speed in conjunction with -”

“Fine, whatever, Barry. Don’t you have a meta to catch or a wife to kiss?” Cisco winces and massages his temple. That was harsher than he intended.  Barry gives him a puzzled puppy-eyed look. Cisco blinks. He takes in the room, trying to ground himself to reality.

Barry asks in a small voice, “Bad dream? Are you still… if you need more rest -”

Now he notices. Cisco focuses on a memory. It was a movie night, with Harry pressed to his side as they watch the latest science fiction film. His vibes have a certain resonance that calms him, even the memory of them tames his irritability into something manageable.

“Sorry, I’ve got a lot going on in here.” He taps the side of his head.

“Let me know if you want me to back off. It’s no secret that I get tunnel vision really bad, and it hurts the people around me.”

Cisco raises his eyebrows. He chooses not to address Barry’s issues at the moment.

“No kidding. Anyway, Have you seen Harry?”

He hasn’t cleared anything up for Barry, but he answers, “Your workshop. I thought you’d be there when you disappeared after training…”

“Thanks, great, bye!” Cisco rushes out of the cortex. He stops part way to his workshop and sits against the wall. He ponders what he should do next.

It’s no wonder Cisco had such an intense dream - or vibe. He was up all night, spitballing ideas with Harry. Training with Barry had exhausted him further. He slept here at Star, right through the rest morning. Before he left this plane, he had been thinking about something that happened earlier.

*

_Last night…_

Cisco had leaned over Harry. He was adjusting the cerebral inhibitor. Cisco didn’t think he’d done anything special, hands placed on Harry’s shoulders, hair brushing his cheek and neck. Harry smelled unusually crisp, like a breath of fresh air near the middle of autumn. Cisco allowed himself to linger, perhaps his first mistake.

Harry had jumped up as though there had been a fire alarm. The aggravated look he’d given Cisco had shaken him to the core. He thought Harry was enjoying his presence. Cisco froze and stared, helpless. He grappled for what he could have possibly done wrong, so he could apologize. Harry’s ears and cheeks were turning pink.

Harry tossed the tool he was using at the wall. He had stormed out of the room.

Harry’s warring expressions had been on Cisco’s mind all throughout Barry’s mission. Cisco was wondering if Harry would blush darker if Cisco kissed him. His heart had briefly sped up.

He had swayed on his feet, then sat down to process whatever the hell was happening between them. Drifted off as he wondered if it was all in his imagination.

*

_In the present..._

Next thing he knew, he was violently ripped from a daze. Or had he been sleeping?

Was… was that a dream? Or had he triggered a vibe?

Only one way to find out.

He slips into the workshop. Harry was surprisingly not working, instead staring at the wall with a lost expression. His facial muscles twitch when Cisco drops his hand on top of Harry’s. Their eyes meet. He senses caution, curiosity, and hope from Harry. He’ll take that as a good sign.

Cisco inhales deeply. His fingers twitch with nervousness and start to use Harry’s hand like a drum. He studies the creases at the corners of Harry’s eyes, the slight downturn of the lips he wants to kiss so badly. He’s setting himself up for embarrassment. If Harry was interested wouldn’t he have acted on it? He’s emotionally constipated, and he’s got enough walls to keep Cisco’s vibrations at bay. He gets tired from socializing. But he’s not entirely… shy. He tends to be forward with his opinions and likes to get what he wants.

Best to keep it simple. No point in standing here like an idiot all day, wondering why he’s the one making a move. He shifts his hand to lay on Harry’s arm. Harry’s eyes shift to it. Harry lifts his other hand to slide over Cisco’s lightly. His eyes are filled with curiosity and confusion. Something flutters in Cisco’s stomach, and his heart is in his throat.

Cisco forces himself to speak. “Wanna get coffee?”

Harry rolls a shoulder. He looks back at Cisco and gives a small nod. Cisco’s experiences a thrill as though he’s suddenly dropped down a hill on a roller coaster.

“Thanks. You know my usual.” Harry returns his attention to his project.

Cisco internal celebration was much too soon.

“No!”

Harry jerks. His eyebrows creep lower. Cisco mentally scrambles to find a way to backpedal.  

“I- I mean. Do you want. To grab coffee. With me?”

Cisco is about to vibrate out of his skin from this anticipation. Will Harry get a clue already? Actually forget clues. Cisco is point blank asking him out, but it’s slipping off him like water from a duck.

“I’ll pass.” He walks over the board and starts to write equations. Cisco trails after him, dazed. It takes a few minutes for Harry to realize he’s there. Harry waves him away.

“As you were.”

Cisco’s heart sinks. He curls his fingers into fists. He should be thankful. Harry could’ve teased him or laughed at him or drawn it out. He should leave and forget this happen. He shouldn’t push his luck.

Some part of him just can’t drop it, though. He grabs Harry by the arm and forcefully turns him so he faces him. It’s usually the kind of move Harry would use on him, so maybe it’ll get the point across. He places his hands on Harry’s shoulders and gets so close their noses brush.

“That’s all I _get?_ A careless dismissal! I put myself out there and that’s _all_ you have to say?” Cisco retreats a little. He drops his feet flat and looks up at Harry.

He’s still clinging to him. But he doesn’t budge to give him space.

“Wait - hold on - wait. You - you’re asking me on a _date_?”

Cisco gapes, incredulous. “Are you _kidding_ \- yes!”

“Why didn’t you _say_ that?” Harry frowns. He grabs Cisco’s wrists and drops them down. However, he doesn’t let go of them.

Cisco didn’t know Harry is so thick-headed, for a genius.

“Holy Hannah! That is _exactly_ what I did.”

Harry's grip disappears, and Cisco immediately misses it. He seems to take a dramatically long moment to examine the board.

“In that case.” Harry twirls the marker, and then points it at him. “Nah.”

Cisco’s hand flies up to claw at his own hair. His face has never become so hot from anger so quick. Harry had better save himself, as Cisco is close to punching him. Harry slides his hand into Cisco’s and squeezes, clearly sensing Cisco’s frustration.

“I’m joking. I’m just - I’d love to, Ramon.”

“Why do I let you cause me all this trouble?” Cisco flicks locks of hair out of his eyes. He doesn’t know whether he wants Harry to make it up to him, or if he just wants to get revenge by teasing Harry back.

As he steps through a breach behind Jitters with Harry, he watches him out of the corner of his eye. Harry glances at him and smiles. He strolls toward the entrance, casual. He doesn’t seem aware of the wringer he put Cisco through.

What is he getting into, precisely? He rubs his lips with the vibe-memory of Harry’s adoring kisses. Perhaps this reeks of disaster. He won’t know if he doesn’t try and possibly - hopefully - that scares him more than rejection and heartbreak.


End file.
